A lawsuit has been filed by a 19-year-old woman, referred to as Jane Doe, alleging she was sexually assaulted at a fraternity party near the University of Chicago earlier this year. The incident, reported to have occurred on February 7 at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house, comes amid growing concern over sexual misconduct on college campuses.
In her court filing submitted to the Cook County Circuit Court, Doe claims that a fraternity member’s actions left her feeling incapacitated and vulnerable. “The grief that this has imposed upon me is indescribable,” she expressed in a recent interview. “It is the first thing I think about whenever I wake up every day and the last thing I think about whenever I fall asleep.”
This lawsuit follows another alarming case from Cornell University, where a former student alleged she was gang-raped at a fraternity event, igniting national outrage. Additionally, just days prior to Doe’s lawsuit, another woman reported a sexual assault at a different fraternity near the University of Chicago.
The University of Chicago, which does not officially recognize fraternities, issued a statement expressing its commitment to assisting the Chicago Police Department with the investigation. “These allegations are very disturbing to the University community,” university spokesperson Gerald McSwiggan stated, emphasizing the institution’s dedication to preventing sexual assault.
In response to the allegations, the national organization of Alpha Delta Phi has announced that the involved member has been suspended. They characterized the allegations as “deeply troubling” and reaffirmed their commitment to member safety and cooperation with law enforcement.
Doe, who is not a university student, learned about the party through social media and attended with friends. She recounted feeling disoriented after consuming alcohol at the event. The lawsuit details that following an offer of a shot from a fraternity brother, she felt increasingly unsteady and was ultimately led to a secluded area where she was assaulted.
Doe described her experience of pleading for safe practices during the assault, which were ignored. After the incident, she was left alone and unconscious, later found by a friend who assisted her out of the fraternity house. The following day, Doe sought medical attention and reported the assault to local authorities, suspecting her drink may have been tampered with.
The Chicago Police Department is currently investigating the case, while Doe’s legal representation aims for more than just compensation, seeking to reform policies to prevent such incidents in the future. “At the end of the day, what happened to me is not unique, and it’s not rare. It happens way more than people realize,” Doe remarked, highlighting the broader implications of her experience.
Photo credit: E. Jason Wambsgans
